Last Updated: July 2018

Race Day is September 15th, 2018 with the race starting promptly at 7:00 am.

Parking & Shuttles
The race will have 2 parking areas for runners and one area for spectators:

1. Start Line: Hawksbill Recreation Park- 205 Pool Dr, Stanley, VA (marked below in green).
2. Finish Line: Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park- 725 Lake Arrowhead Rd, Luray, VA (marked below in blue) **This location is for both runners and spectators.

The parking lots will open at 5:00 am on race morning. We strongly encourage runners to arrive early. The finish line parking area will close at 5:30 am. At 5:30 shuttles will begin taking runners from the finish line to the start line before the race. All remaining cars not parked by 5:30 am should head to the start line parking. The start line parking lot will close at 6:30 am.

Drop-offs
Runners can be dropped off at the finish line area and catch the shuttle to the start line. Please do not drop runners off at the start line.

Post-race Shuttles
After the race, shuttles will begin taking runners who parked at the start line back to their vehicles. These shuttles will be leaving continuously as they fill up.

Spectators
Spectators are encouraged to cheer on the runners at the finish line. To alleviate congestion at the start, we ask the no spectators be at the start line, nor get on a shuttle. Spectators are welcome to park at the finish line which is at Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park- 725 Lake Arrowhead Rd, Luray, VA (marked on the map in blue). Absolutely no spectator parking at the start line.

Schedule
5:00 am – Finish Line and Start Line Parking Opens
5:15 am – Raffles Begin at Start Line (one every five minutes)
5:30 am – First Shuttles Leave to Start Line/ Finish Line Parking Close. (Everyone not yet in the Finish Line Parking should proceed to the Start Line Parking.)
6:00 am – Last Shuttle Leaves to Start Line
6:30 am – Start Line Parking Closes
6:45 am – Runners Line Up/Last Call For Gear Check.
7:00 am – RACE STARTS
9:45 am – Awards Ceremony

Our Shenandoah is a scenic road race near Shenandoah National Park. We’ll start at Hawksbill Recreation Park* (205 Pool Dr, Stanley, VA 22851) and end at Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park* (725 Lake Arrowhead Rd, Luray, VA 22835).

This is a challenging uphill course with great scenery, quiet farm roads, hilly roads in the foothills, and a gorgeous finish at the lake. You can see course and elevation maps below.

The elevation is a little tough, but it will be worth it! Besides, downhill courses are for wimps. :)

Start elevation: 1,028 ft.
Max elevation: 1,377 ft.
Gain: 881 ft.

Just running each individual race does not qualify you for the Double or Triple medals. You need to register for the Double or Triple specifically.

The pricing below includes registration for the races, high quality race shirts for each race, each race finisher medal, a special finisher medal for whichever challenge you complete, plus your choice of swag to commemorate your accomplishment! We’ll have a tech tee, a cotton shirt, a sweatshirt, a hat, etc, for you to choose from when you pick up your bib!

We want to help you make the most out of your vacation. Here are some helpful links and general information. We’ll be updating the links and information below over the next several months.

Dulles International Airport (IAD) – Your next closest option is Dulles International on the west side of Washington DC. Expect about an hour and a half drive to Luray. While it’s further away, you should easily be able to find a flight to this airport, as well as a rental car. Learn more on their website.

Reagan National Airport (DCA) – A third option is to fly into Reagan National, right along the Patomac on the border of Washington DC. You can expect traffic and about a two hour drive from this airport, but this is a great option for anyone wanting to spend time in DC before or after the race. It’s a big enough airport to easily find flights and car rentals. Learn more on their website.

Shenandoah National Park is located in northwestern Virginia, roughly two hours outside of Washington DC… depending on where in the park you’re headed to. Shenandoah is a long strip of land surrounding Skyline Drive. Our race will be in Luray, VA, just 15 minutes from Thornton Gap Entrance Station.

To get to Luray, you’ll want to take I-81 towards New Market, VA, where you’ll connect with State Route 211 and head east to State Route 340. Head north to Luray.

These are general directions to our host town. Depending on where you’re coming from, there may be faster routes. We recommend using a maps service like Google Maps, or a maps app on your phone to find the best route to Luray.

​The most convenient (and fun) place to stay at the race is the Vacation Races Campground, which we’ll set up by the finish line! The campground (marked in yellow) will be available Thursday through Sunday (September 13 - September 16) and it costs $50 to reserve your spot. If you don’t have a tent, then you can also rent one from us. It will be $100 for a 4 person tent and $130 for a 6 person tent. If you want to reserve a spot, you’ll be able to when you register for the race!

These will be large group sites, so if you reserve a spot, you’ll likely have some fellow runners as neighbors! There are bathrooms and showers on site, and we’ll provide group campfires. There aren’t any RV hookups, but we will allow some RVs to stay on site.

​It’s hard to beat camping in the park! Be sure to check the location of the campground before you book! Shenandoah is a long stretch of land. Try to find a site near the Thornton Gap Entrance Station, if possible.

Here are some places to look for lodging. Booking.com is a great place to start your search.*

Luray
This is our host town. The race will end in Luray at Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park, and our expo will be in Luray as well. Any hotel in town will be a good option for this event. There are also several small towns around Luray, some with motels and B&Bs. Anywhere in the surrounding area is a good option.

New Market
New Market is just 20 minutes from Luray and has several hotel options. It is on the other side of Luray from Shenandoah National Park, but it’s still only about 30 minute drive to Skyline Dr.

Front Royal
Front Royal sits at the north end of Shenandoah National Park, where Skyline Dr. starts. There are plenty of hotel options here. Despite being a 30 minute drive from Luray, it’s a pretty good option if you’re flying into Washington DC.

*Note: This is an affiliate link and we might make a dollar or two if if you book through it.

We like to encourage our runners to get out and enjoy the area where we hold our races, so we designate certain challenging and iconic activities in the park to be a part of our official club hikes and trifecta!

We have three hikes designated for the Shenandoah Half Marathon: Old Rag Mountain, Overall Run Falls, and Little Devil Stairs.

What do I get? Any runners that take the challenge and complete one of the designated hikes within 72 hours of running the race will officially join the club, get their pictures published on our website, plus receive a commemorative medallion! All you have to do is take a picture of yourself at the designated location which includes:

1. A clear view of your face
2. Your bib with bib numbers clearly visible
3. Your finisher medal in plain view
4. Clear background showing where you are

These hikes are meant to be difficult and they can sometimes be dangerous. If you choose to attempt any of these hikes, you need to take them seriously. Please bring lots of water (more than you think you need), and bear spray.

Our race trifectas are comprised of 3 different activities. The Trifecta is meant to be challenging, but less strenuous than our club hikes. These are iconic activities inside the park that should be experienced, but are doable with children. The 3 activities that makeup the Shenandoah Half Marathon Trifecta are:

1. Skyline Drive
2. Appalachian Trail
3. Dark Hollow Falls

You must complete all 3 in order to complete the Trifecta. Same rules apply: take your picture at each of the 3 with your bib and finisher medal and send them to us 72 hours after finishing the race. Those who complete the Trifecta will get their pictures published on our website, plus receive a commemorative pin!

Skyline Drive
This iconic road through Shenandoah National Park goes for 105 miles. As you drive, you’ll be greeted with scenic foliage and a decent chance of wildlife sightings! You can take your picture at anyone of the 75 overlooks on Skyline Drive.

Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a public footpath that follows more than 2,100 miles of Appalachian Mountain ridgelines between Maine and Georgia. About 100 of these miles are in Shenandoah National Park! You can take your photo anywhere on the trail, just make sure there is marker in the photo indicating that you’re on the Appalachian Trail.

Dark Hollow Falls
This short hike is just a mile roundtrip, but offers scenic forest views and ends at the base of Dark Hollow Falls– the perfect place to take your trifecta photo! Access the trailhead at the north end of the Dark Hollow Falls parking area off Skyline Drive.